History Main / MirrorRoutine

* A variation of this is done in ''CardCaptorSakura''. The Mirror [[CaptainObvious mirrors]] Sakura's actions in order to reveal her identity.

* A HollwoodAmnesia episode of ''DonkeyKongCountry'' includes this...[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er4zU20y8kg&feature=PlayList&p=2FABC4C1D36B5F36&playnext_from=PL&index=7 in song]]

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* In the first ''TombRaider'' game and its remake, there is an Atlantean creature who looks like a muscular structure of a human who copies Lara's movements exactly.

In cartoons, this is usually played for laughs with two characters that look nothing alike, with the mark trying to catch the "mirror image" out and the foil managing to pull off a perfectly synchronised act. If the act is [[IdiotBall convincing enough to work]], expect the mark to attribute glaring differences to simple illness, drinking, or staying up too late. It can also be used very effectively to hide from a pursuer, especially if you happen to be an EvilTwin. Another variant is when two [[IdenticalStranger Identical Strangers]] meet eachother for the first time.

In cartoons, this is usually played for laughs with two characters that look nothing alike, with the mark trying to catch the "mirror image" out and the foil managing to pull off a perfectly synchronised act. If the act is [[IdiotBall convincing enough to work]], expect the mark to attribute glaring differences to simple illness, drinking, or staying up too late. It can also be used very effectively to hide from a pursuer, especially if you happen to be an EvilTwin.

See also {{Stand in Portrait}}.

[[DuckSoup http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mirrorscene_6405.jpg]]

See also StandInPortrait.

[[folder:Films — Live Action]]
* The MarxBrothers do this in ''DuckSoup''. The definitive version that everyone copies.
** The gag was old when the Marxes did it, dating from vaudeville and being used in several silent comedies in the '20s, though they subvert it niftily at one point when Groucho and Harpo ''walk around each other'' but continue imitating each other afterward.

* Like every other slapstick trope, this one was used on occasion by TheThreeStooges — usually Curly.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

** ''SuperMario64'' did it to simplify the graphics processing. In story, a room had a large mirror on the wall. The game actually used a mirrored room, a duplicate of Mario, and an invisible force field.
*** Not a ''perfectly'' mirrored room, of course. The trick in that room is to find something that isn't a perfect mirror and use that as a level entrance. In the remake, Luigi can phase through the mirror into the copied room, where things get [[WhiteVoidRoom weird]].

[[folder:Webcomics]]
* Stick figures can do it, too: See [[http://antiheroescomic.com/comic/66 this strip]] of ''{{anti-HEROES}}''.

** DaffyDuck does this in "The Impatient Patient" and "Draftee Daffy".
* Tom and another cat did this while fighting over Jerry in the Chuck Jones ''{{Tom and Jerry}}'' short "Cat and Dupli-Cat".
* An episode of ''XiaolinShowdown'' had an evil mime do this to Clay. It ended when he tried to mirror punching himself in the head.
* Fred Flintstone did this on Billy's dad in ''TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' once. Apparently, Billy's dad caught on eventually, and kept going after Fred had left.

* ''FamilyGuy'' did this with Hitler vs. Stewie disguised as Hitler, a shot-by-shot remake of the infamous MarxBrothers skit in the episode "Road to Germany".

* A common gag on ''ScoobyDoo'', usually with Shaggy as a participant. Sometimes it was the Fake MonsterOfTheWeek doing the copying, other times it's Shaggy trying to fake out his pursuers.
** Sometimes this happened with Scooby, often with the villain [[LatexPerfection wearing a very realistic latex Scooby-Doo mask]] (but with either his true hands exposed or no spots on his body).

* [[JackieChanAdventures Jackie Chan]] and an evil clone.
* [[BeastWars Dinobot]] and...likewise.

[[folder:RealLife]]

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* ''{{Legion of Superheroes}}'' has a shapeshifter escaping from the heroes this way. He has the advantage of being on the other side of glass.

* Silent-era comedian Charley Chase had [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4VdIZLiRec one of these]] in his 1924 short ''Sittin' Pretty''.

** The gag was old when the Marxes did it ([[http://www.efootage.com/stock-footage/19226/slapstick-gag-gags-humor-humour-humorous-comedy-comic here's]] a 1920s version, and it was an old vaudeville routine before that), though they subvert it niftily at one point when Groucho and Harpo ''walk around each other'' but continue imitating each other afterward.

* A variation shows up in the BusterKeaton film ''[=~Sherlock Jr.~=]'' -- Buster stands in front of what appears to be a full-length mirror, then steps through, revealing that it's a door connecting two identical rooms.
* Max Linder, in the 1921 silent comedy ''Seven Years Bad Luck'', in which Max's servant is trying to hide the fact that he's broken his master's mirror.
* Silent-era comedian Charley Chase had [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4VdIZLiRec one of these]] in his 1924 short ''Sittin' Pretty''.

* Tom and another cat did this while fighting over Jerry in the Chuck Jones ''{{Tom and Jerry}}'' short ''Cat and Dupli-Cat''.
* In the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''LonesomeGhosts'', a ghost does this to Goofy, who mentions at the beginning, "For a moment I thought it wasn't me."

* BugsBunny does this to Elmer in the ''LooneyTunes'' cartoon "Hare Tonic" to convince Elmer that he is turning into a rabbit.
** Daffy Duck does this in "The Impatient Patient" and "Draftee Daffy".

* ''Chip 'n Dale'' cartoon, "Two Chips and a Miss": Both Chip and Dale did this thinking they both saw a reflection of themselves to straighten their tuxedos when they were both secretly invited to a club.

* DaffyDuck does this with "Dr. Jerkyl" in ''The Impatient Patient'', and with "the little man from the draft board" in ''Draftee Daffy''.

* ''FamilyGuy'' did this with Hitler vs. Stewie disguised as Hitler, in the episode "Road to Germany".

* Bug Bunny does this to Elmer in the ''LooneyTunes'' cartoon "Hare Tonic" to convince Elmer that he is turning into a rabbit.

* The MarxBrothers do this in ''Duck Soup''. The definitive version that everyone copies.

* This is a plot point in the episode "The Tailor's Dummy" of ''JonathanCreek'', inspired by ''Duck Soup'', to bluff that one man was the murderer.
* Lucy and Harpo Marx, in an episode of ''ILoveLucy'', echoing the famous scene from ''Duck Soup''.

* Bugs Bunny does this to Elmer in the ''LooneyTunes'' cartoon "Hare Tonic" to convince Elmer that he is turning into a rabbit.
* Daffy Duck does this with "Dr. Jerkyl" in ''The Impatient Patient'', and with "the little man from the draft board" in ''Draftee Daffy''.

[[/folder]]

* A variation shows up in the BusterKeaton film ''SherlockJr.'' -- Buster stands in front of what appears to be a full-length mirror, then steps through, revealing that it's a door connecting two identical rooms.

* A HollwoodAmnesia episode of ''Donkey Kong Country'' includes this...[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er4zU20y8kg&feature=PlayList&p=2FABC4C1D36B5F36&playnext_from=PL&index=7 in song]]

* A variation shoes up in the BusterKeaton film ''SherlockJr.'' -- Buster stands in front of what appears to be a full-length mirror, then steps through, revealing that it's a door connecting two identical rooms.

* In the Mickey Mouse cartoon ''Lonesome Ghosts'', a ghost does this to Goofy, who mentions at the beginning, "For a moment I thought it wasn't me."

[[folder:Real Life]]